tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post4963034418550419791..comments2015-05-28T17:55:50.488+01:00Comments on Dr Grumble: Could memes cause disease?Dr Grumblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04417731064007601504noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-57939968531798203312008-08-14T20:59:00.000+01:002008-08-14T20:59:00.000+01:00Hi, I think your blog is terrific, and I would lik...Hi, I think your blog is terrific, and I would like to feature you on Wellsphere (http://www.wellsphere.com). Would you drop me an email?<BR/>Good health!<BR/>Geoff<BR/>--<BR/>Geoffrey W. Rutledge, MD, PhD<BR/>http://medblog.wellsphere.comGeoffrey W. Rutledge, MD, PhDhttp://www.wellsphere.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-66665999934375904522008-08-13T22:17:00.000+01:002008-08-13T22:17:00.000+01:00You need to look up more about glandular fever.You need to look up more about glandular fever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-14004884376154741282008-08-12T17:05:00.000+01:002008-08-12T17:05:00.000+01:00I need to say that I am finding this all very fasc...I need to say that I am finding this all very fascinating. Especially since you have indulged me by explicitly stating some of the question that you have.<BR/><BR/>Never even crossed my mind :s (worried face smiley in case you were wondering)<BR/><BR/>I think that the media have a massive role in the creation and propagation of pathological memes and that individuals who are susceptible are becoming victims of them.<BR/><BR/>They may be susceptible for a variety of reasons; psychiatric,psychological,environmental,cultural and genetic predisposition.<BR/><BR/>With regards to how to prevent them,seeing as the other questions seem quite unanswerable at this time, that a solution be be present in the form of education for patients so as to inform them and combat against misinformation and hype or simply to combat misinformation at its source within the media.Easier said than done.<BR/><BR/>I always thought scaremongering was unhealthy and now we could be seeing the fallout from year of the vile stuff.NorthernMedicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-81217292128207761642008-08-11T18:40:00.000+01:002008-08-11T18:40:00.000+01:00Thinking of the infectious agent for certain disea...Thinking of the infectious agent for certain diseases as a pathological meme is certainly a new concept to Dr G and he thinks that it is helpful.<BR/><BR/>To some extent there are parallels with conventional infections. For example if you expose individuals to an infection not all will get it. Presumably the same might apply to, say, an ME meme. <BR/><BR/>Where do new meme-mediated diseases come from and why do they disappear? Why do some like ME stay around while others like total allergy syndrome have only a fleeting existence.<BR/><BR/>Is the press the initial source of the infection? Could new meme diseases be prevented?<BR/><BR/>What makes some memes take hold? What makes individuals susceptible? How can a meme be eradicated from an infected person? How are memes propagated? When a new meme disease catches on can anything be done to stop it spreading?<BR/><BR/>In other words while some of this may not be new it is a different way of thinking about things. But it is hardly something Dr G would write about in a learned journal. That’s why he has a blog.Dr Grumblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04417731064007601504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-74455108033270934622008-08-10T20:44:00.000+01:002008-08-10T20:44:00.000+01:00Are you sure that this is a new idea?Is this not s...Are you sure that this is a new idea?<BR/><BR/>Is this not seen in the worried well, not true hypochondriacs,who become convinced through outlets such as the media amongst others that they have an illness? Like telling someone they could be ill to such an extent that they eventually truly believe that they are.<BR/><BR/>Then because of psychosomatic mechanisms develop symptoms?<BR/><BR/>Or can it be the other way round where people have random meaningless symptoms that point towards nothing and then attribute them towards things that may be receiving some ill attention and bad press due to supposed health risks?<BR/><BR/>an example would be the people with lethargy or headaches or random pain who are now attributing this to the use wifi antennae and electromagnetic fields as they have now started to pick up bad press,which is probably unfounded and more than likely used to sell papers.<BR/><BR/>Same thing or am I clueless?NorthernMedicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-15251023800460896132008-08-10T13:08:00.000+01:002008-08-10T13:08:00.000+01:00Thanks benefitscroungingscum. I have popped that l...Thanks benefitscroungingscum. I have popped that link into my shared items.Dr Grumblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04417731064007601504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-88167619411210712062008-08-10T12:00:00.000+01:002008-08-10T12:00:00.000+01:00I'm absolutely certain you're right on this one.At...I'm absolutely certain you're right on this one.<BR/><BR/>At one extreme we see folk with a formal diagnosis of hypochondriacal disorder or persistent somatoform pain disorder or a conversion disorder. But between symptom free and the symptom burden that's attracting formal psychiatric diagnosis there's a whole slew of people in between.<BR/><BR/>Many many of these folk seem to have ideas, core beliefes, schema, paradigms, call it what you will. But memes have influenced these.<BR/><BR/>Thus, memes have influenced their health.The Shrinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10009039342346247138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25200961.post-58309068285967023162008-08-10T11:56:00.000+01:002008-08-10T11:56:00.000+01:00I'm sure you're on to something with that concept,...I'm sure you're on to something with that concept, but I doubt it'll make you too popular with those diagnosed with ME. On the other hand if you come up with any way of getting my body to believe it's not fatigued I will love you forever! <BR/>I wondered if you had seen this http://bonetired.blogspot.com/2008/07/patient-confidentiality-and-data.html<BR/>Basically the PCT sold patient data to an American co, and sent those involved postcards advising if they did not want to be involved they had 2 weeks to opt out insisting it was all in the patient's interests. <BR/>BGBenefitScroungingScumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939136229593231935noreply@blogger.com